NOTE: Please don't rate 1 point on my Barathrum Guide just because you want to lower its rating. Please rate it depending on its content and its information it gives to you. And please leave comments behind after rating my Barathrum Guide. Thank you for your cooperation.

This is my other guide (next to my Lina Guide "Click me baby,One more time"). Take note that this guide doesn't show you on how to play Barathrum the professional way, this guide just shows some knowledge on how I play Barathrum personally. Barathrum is one of my favorite heroes since he can easily kill a lone hero easily, which makes him one of the best hero picks in DOTA. This guide is strictly for PUBS, not in competitive games. Oh and no offending comments; I'll will ignore such rude and offending comments in this guide. Now were about to start discussing the important points of this hero. Don't forget to rate and comment in my guide, ok? Well then, let's begin...

True to his name, the Spiritbreaker is excellent at crushing the fight out of an enemy target. His skills are focused on disabling and killing a single enemy hero, making him much more effective in ambushes and one on one situations than large team battles. The Spiritbreaker generally opens with a Charge of Darkness, which allows him to charge from any point on the map towards the target, increasing in speed as he approaches his target. Upon arrival, he delivers a crushing stun, giving him time to follow up with his other active ability: Netherstrike. Netherstrike is a short range teleporting attack, which knocks the target back and deals massive damage. The Spiritbreaker's two passive skills supplement this combo. Empowering Haste is a aura which significantly boosts the movement speed of the Spiritbreaker and nearby allies, as well as providing him with a damage bonus based on his movement speed. Greater Bash is partly what makes the Spiritbreaker so feared by lone enemies. Upon connecting a Greater Bash, the Spiritbreaker deals extra damage and knocks the target back, stunning and disabling them completely. With Charge of Darkness, Greater Bash, and Netherstrike, hapless targets of the Spiritbreaker's attention are often dead before they can so much as lift a finger in retaliation.

An outcast of the Spirithoof clan, Barathrum retreated in shame to the Ethereal Plane, feeding off wandering souls to sustain himself, and wandered aimlessly for centuries, alone and miserable. Found and recruited by the Lich King, Barathrum's uncanny speed and wraithlike powers have now been unleashed upon the Material Plane, his lantern able to project nether energy into enemies, sending them backwards with sudden force. With the ability to close the distance between himself and a target in seconds, Barathrum the Spiritbreaker is more than a match for anyone.

(+)One of the most feared carries in the game.(+)Has one of the best ganking skills thanks to his Charge of Darkness.(+)Can last hit easily thanks to his excellent last-hitting animation.(+)High movement speed from his Empowering Haste in which chasing a hero is a piece of cake.(+)Lone heroes are pure food, especially enemies like Nevermore, Sniper and Drow Ranger.(+)Powerful Perma-basher, which makes him really fearsome.(+)All he needs is high damage and attack speed.(+)The rest are for you to state them.

(-)No lane control, which means he can be easily harassed in laning phase.(-)Bad mana pool.(-)Item dependent.(-)Very team dependent unless he got his Core Items.(-)Without his bash, he has no kill reliant.(-)He's an outcast.

1). The enemy team has a lot of squishy carries.2). The enemy team has no or less disables.3). Your team has a lot of gankers or disablers.4). You're a skilled farmer.5). You're lucky.

Don't Pick Barathrum if:

1). The enemy team has a lot of disables.2). Your team has a lot of carries.3). Your team doesn't have a lot of gankers or disablers.3). The enemy team has a lot of spellcasters or nukers.4). You're not in a mood to play Barathrum.

I really don't want to copy all the information and the statistics of his skills. If you want to see it, click here.

Charge of Darkness

Barathrum fixes his sight on an enemy and starts charging through all objects. Any unit that comes into contact during the charge triggers a greater bash proc. Upon leaving the shadows, Barathrum shocks his opponent into an immobile state for some time. Charge is interrupted if disabled.

Notes:- Barathrum will run through units and trees.- Allies of Barathrum (and himself) will see an animation over the head of the target.- Any unit you pass through (300 AoE) will proc a Greater Bash of your current level (nothing will happen if you didn't skill it)- The charge stops if you click anywhere, or if you are disabled.- Barathrum gains shared vision of the target for the duration.- If the target dies, the charge is transferred to the nearest valid target.

This is your main ganking tool. It's very useful since it gives sight of the enemy which gives your teammates an element of surprise to the target and you can reach your target within seconds. Use this when your team needs you to gank an enemy hero, when the enemy hero is alone or when you need to escape when you're ganked. However, the charge has a fairly long cooldown so better buy a TP as another escape mechanism; having a TP is important when it comes to escaping a gank after you gank someone alone. Be careful in using it if there are disablers (Lion, Rhasta and Atropos come to mind) because they can disable your charge which makes your gank ruined; also, be careful in using it too when they're are no other enemy heroes in the map except for one enemy hero because sometimes a clever team will try to lure you out so they can kill you. Just because your using Barathrum doesn't mean you can kill any enemy easily with your Charge of Darkness. Use it wisely. And don't get cocky in using it because it will lead you to recklessness. Your lone ganks with your Charge are better when you or your supports buy observer wards and placed them in different specific areas. If you want to know where to place wards, click here.

Here, I'll show you an example on why lone ganks are easier when you're placing observer wards in specific areas like this one:

I've placed an observer ward in the place where my enemy Furion is farming (a gap near a farming site). After placing an observer ward in that specific area, I waited until he teleported there.

Furion then teleported there to farm and I charged him. Since he's alone, killing him will be easy as pie.

Now that I caught him into my trap because of my observer ward in that area, he's about to die by my own hands.

Dead Prophet's dead.

Empowering Haste

His presence increases the movement speed of nearby allied units.

This skill is what increases you and your allies' movement speed, which makes you and your allies move faster. It has great synergy with skills and items that increases movement speed (Like Sange and Yasha, Phase Boots, Dark Seer's Surge or Ogre Magi's Bloodlust), and also your Greater Bash (Your Greater Bash deals damage based on your movement speed and it has a passive skill that increases movement speed for each proc).

Greater Bash

Gives a 17% chance to bash enemies across the ground, doing more damage as they skid. You gain 15% movement speed bonus for 3 seconds when this triggers.

Notes:- Damage type: magical.- Greater Bash is triggered everytime Spiritbreaker initiates an attack, so it is not necessary to land the attack in order for Greater Bash to work.- Greater Bash deals damage based on your movement speed.- Does not stack with Cranium Basher.

This is your passive stun, which makes you fearsome and it's very important for your ultimate. You can proc more bashes the more attack speed you have so it will make the enemy nearly immobilized when you continue to attack the enemy; however, your bash has a 1.5 second cooldown so your really going to need a lot of attack speed for this problem. Like what I've said in the "Pros and Cons", the only thing he needs is attack speed and damage. The bash proc is 17% in all levels, which is fairly high so you'll love him when you use him and you'll hate him when your enemies use him. Again, it gives 15% bonus movement speed for every bash proc so it has great synergy with your Empowering Haste. This skill becomes better late game once you have your items.

Notes:- Damage type: magical.- Barathrum will move to the other side of the target seen from the point he cast it.- Performs a Greater Bash of your current level upon arrival (no bash will happen if you didn't skill it).- Teleportation and damage is delayed 1 second while Barathrum is fading out, Barathrum is magic immune for this time period.- Can be improved by Aghanim's Scepter.- With Aghanim's Scepter, performs a Greater Bash level 4 on all units in a 250 AoE of Spiritbreaker upon arrival.

This is your active stun, which is much like your Greater Bash. The stun will never proc if you don't have a Greater Bash so its better to level at least one level of Greater Bash early game. Use this after you stun the enemy with your Charge of Darkness or whenever it's crucial to use it. This is a counter to some escape mechanisms like Magina's Blink or Mirana's Leap so they need to beware of Barathrum when he's around. This is better once you have Agahanim's Scepter but I would only recommend Aghanim's if your more of a team fight type hero (I'll explain this in the "Skill Build and Item Build" Section. I forgot to say that the cast range of this skill increases with Aghanim's Scepter and it also can be used to dodge incoming projectiles with its magic immunity.

I stunned her with my Charge. I continued to smash her to death and when the stun duration of my charge is about to end, I quickly used Nether Strike and the magic immunity of it dodged Traxex's Silence (She raises up her bow when she casts it, as seen in the screenshot).

This is the most balanced skill build for Barathrum. Always get Charge of Darkness first to ensure a first blood or to prevent a first blood then level up Greater Bash and Empowering Haste to level 2 when you reach level 5 so you'll be flexible in both ganking, chasing and farming; then level up your ultimate when you reach level 6 of course. After that, maximize your Charge of Darkness and your Greater Bash first before Empowering Haste since Empowering Haste at level 2 should be enough to make your Greater Bash deal a lot of damage to your enemies. After maximizing your two skills, maximize your Empowering Haste and your ultimate then maximize your stats.

This is a good skill build for Barathrum if your team has a lot of gankers, especially if your team gank a lot in early game. We always need Charge of Darkness first since we need it to ensure a first blood or to prevent a first blood. We level up Charge of Darkness to level 3 when you reach level 5 since your teammates wanted to expect a gank in early game. Next, we increase your Greater Bash and your Empowering Haste to level 2 then followed by maximizing your Charge of Darkness to level 4 when you reach level 9 so you'll be flexible in both ganking, chasing and farming like what I said before. Then we maximize your Greater Bash so you can deal a lot of damage to your enemies then followed by the maximization your Empowering Haste, your ultimate and your stats.

These are the basic starting items. We need to buy two branches for some stats; two Gauntlets of Ogre Strength for some extra damage and to upgrade one Gauntlet into a Bracer and into an Ancient Janggo of Endurance (I'll explain this in the Core); we need some consumables like a Tango and a Salve to recover some health from received damage.

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This is your core. We need power treads for some damage and attack speed. We need Mask of Madness for lifesteal and attack speed. Janggo for amplifying your bash damage and your movement speed. Crystalys for more damage and a critical but you can replace this with a BKB or an Armlet depending on what kind of situation you are in; get BKB if you're facing heavy spellcasters but if your going 1v1 against lone heroes, get Armlet (Note: Don't get Armlet too often in multiplayer games since it reduces your HP). Urn for healing, damaging and some stats. And lastly, a TP for map mobility but you can also replace your TP with a magic wand if your facing heavy spellcasters and/or nukers.

These are the items made for Barathrum. Buy these quickly before it turns late game so you can own the team easily.

A great item on Barathrum. This will give you a lot of attack speed and its auras benefit your team as well. With your high damage, this really is the item made for Barathrum.

Definitely the way to make you beefy. It makes you truly immortal combined with Assault Cuirass and it increases your damage too. Definitely worth it if you can afford it.

If you feel like you want to chop people or if you have a lot attack speed, get this.

The anti-evasion item. Good against Mortred, Panda, Rikimaru and heroes with evasion items.

At first you might wonder why Butterfly can be used as a tanking item. Its Agility increases your armor and the evasion is useful for tanking as well. What's better is that this item inreases your attack speed and your damage which is definiely worth it.

This item gives the most damage in the game. Combined with your high DPS, your enemies will fear you a lot.

If the game manages to get this late, Satanic becomes essential. Since you're a perma-bashing carry, its lifesteal has great synergy with your attacks. Replace this from your MoM.

I once rejected this item, but now it made all its way up here. When I tried this item in public games, it's a very effective item in killing lone heroes since the little Necronomicon dudes will attack your target while you're perma-bashing him/her to death (Now that's a deadly combination! Don't think I'm kidding about this tactic). The best thing about this item is that you won't have problems in chasing a fleeing hero down if that hero manages to survive your perma-bashing cycle because one of the Necronomicon dudes have a bonus MS Aura, which will allow you and your Necro dudes to chase and attack the fleeing hero at the same time. Also, one of the Necronomicon dudes have true sight as well, so you don't need to worry when you're facing heroes with invisibility. It's a valuable luxury to buy, and I strongly recommend in buying this item as quickly as possible if you're facing mana dependent heroes.

Although there are some items left, but get these when you're facing heavy situations like heavy disables, illusions, pushing problems and other situations.

Get this if you want more healing. It gives more MS for more damage which is definitely worth it.

Creeps getting in your way? Get this! This is a good set of boots on Barathrum because of the high damage and the phase ability. Take note that you cannot bash or crit while phased so better not use phase while attacking a hero. Use it when creeps are getting in your way.

I wouldn't recommend this in early game but when the game turns late, its TP becomes essential. If you have this in late game, you have two skills that are going to send you faster in serious situations like push festivals and clashes. It gives a lot of movement speed which is definitely worth it.

The only item to lessen damage from physical attacks in the early parts of the game. Get this if you want to lessen the bonus damage you take from enemies when you activate the MoM's Berserk Skill. However, it loses its effectiveness late game so better replace this with Heart of Tarassque.

Get this when your facing illusion heroes or when your allies have skills that can put enemy team in one place (Enigma's Black Hole or Magnus' Reverse Polarity). It gives decent damage and nice regeneration.

Get this if your fighting heavy spellcasters. Its a bit expensive but it gives decent damage and attack speed.

Although I wouldn't recommend this but if your more on killing the entire team as quick as possible, get this. It improves your ultimate by increasing the cast range and it makes your ultimate an AOE skill; plus, it gives decent stats boost too.

Get this when you're facing heroes like Doom Bringer, Atropos or Magina (their ultimates are dangerous). It gives some good stats boost and nice regeneration.

==>The best item to lessen damage from nukes. Are you facing heavy nukers? Get this.

I'm actually against this item on Barathrum because he's not a good Diffusal Blade Carrier, but the purge is useful in removing certain buffs (Like Troll's Battle Trance or Omniknight's Repel and Guardian Angel). If one of your teammates has one, don't buy it anymore.

Don't touch any of these:

You don't need illusions since illusions can't bash.

There are many reasons why it's rejected. You're maybe tanky enough to use it, but you don't have any skills that causes damage over time. Leave this for Doom Bringer.

Sange and Yasha probably is the most mediocre item in the game. It might not be an orb anymore, but you already have a lot of MS from your Empowering Haste and its Greater Maim is weak compared to your Greater Bash. Leave this item for someone else.

==>Duh! Basher doesn't stack with your bash! It's that simple.

You want to be a sitting duck for 3 seconds after you use Ether Blast?

Do you like flying in a cyclone? Well I don't.

Seriously? Charge of Darkness? Nether Strike? HELLO!!?

Stop kill-stealing like a noob!

All of your skills have a decent cooldown. Don't buy this item as well.

Early Game your not as effective as you look right now since we need items for you to kill any enemy easily. Remember, you're a late gamer so you're effective in late game. Buy your items and pick a lane. Pick only top or bottom lane, don't pick the middle lane and leave it for your teammates to handle. If the lane is hard because of heavy lane controllers, better call for a lane switch or gank and make them pay late game. Last hit creeps as much as possible. When you reach level 4, level 5 or level 6, your teammates will expect a gank so participate in early ganks as much as possible with your Charge of Darkness and try not to get reckless with it.

Here's an example of an early game gank:

In this screenshot, me (upper right corner) and my comrade Lich (upper corner) ganked Balanar in the bottom lane. Before this happened, he took heavy damage from Lich's Chain Frost and he was able to survive it (Note: I wasn't able to show a screenshot of it because an error occurred while I uploaded that screenshot in my album). He's now in critical HP after taking too much damage from it and he's trying to run away from us, but to no avail since I already charged him before and he's about to die by our hands.

With the gained vision from my Charge, Lich was able to land a Frost Nova on him and it killed him.

This is where you shine. Once you have an MoM and some core items then you can kill any lone hero without breaking a sweat. And of course, don't charge enemy heroes who have their comrades with them, since you know what will happen to you if you do that. Oh yes, just because you're a Barathrum doesn't mean you can own any enemy easily so try not to get reckless in charging enemies. Use it wisely.

NOTE: DON'T CHARGE HEROES WHO HAVE DISABLES BECAUSE THEY CAN DISABLE YOU WHILE YOU'RE CHARGING HIM/HER WHICH MAKES YOUR LONE GANK NEARLY USELESS. Charge that disabler if you can but make sure he/she doesn't see you coming. If not, Bring someone with you and gank that disabler.

This is important: If your ganking a lone hero alone, look at the map first if your target is separated from his/her allies and you see the target's allies in different separate places in the map. And when the target IS alone, charge him/her and kill him/her. I've said this before and I'll say it again, if there are no enemy heroes in the map besides your target, charge that target if you can BUT EXERCISE MORE CAUTION WHEN DOING THAT because sometimes an expert enemy team will try to lure you out by letting someone squishy from their team come out of the map. Once your fooled and you fell into their gank, you're dead. Your life is precious so DON'T DIE IF POSSIBLE. If you don't want to die when your lone gank goes wrong, bring a TP or an ally with you.

ALWAYS CHARGE WHEN YOUR TEAMMATES CALL FOR A GANK. Your ganks are more better if you or your supports planted observer wards in the map like what I've said before too, which makes your lone/team ganks easier and being ganked lesser. Clashes occur mostly in mid game so better let someone from your team initiate first then go for the Charge.

Here's an example of a lone gank:

I'm about to gank a lone Traxex who's farming in the top lane but first I looked at the map and I saw her allies are separated from her, which makes killing her easier. When I saw she has a Lothar's Edge, I bought Dust of Appearance just for her and I charged her quickly.

When she notices my Charge, she quickly used Lothar's Edge then I revealed her with Dust but I activated it while I'm charging her, which I forgot to stun her with my Charge but it doesn't matter anyway.

I used Nether Strike then I beat her to death. Poor Traxex again.

If you're completely farmed or over-farmed, no one can stop you. Like what I've said before, when clashes occur, better let someone from your team initiate first then go for the Charge. Finish the game ASAP before the enemy team can get their Luxury Items. Finish the game within 60 minutes.

They hold down the enemy in place while you start hitting them and send them back to their fountain. They are frenemies. Homies on our side, homo on the other side.

Babysitters:

They ensure your security and safety. Since your a carry, someone needs to look after you.

DPS Amplifiers:

Your going to love them since they amplify your DPS. Who doesn't love them?

Special Mentions:

He's your free MoM because his Battle Trance improves your DPS. This is better once you have an MoM though. He also appreciates your disables since he has no disable whatsoever (except for his bash but that doesn't count since it's a passive skill).

N'aix is one of Barathrum's best allies. What N'aix can do is he'll hide inside you using his Infest then you charge an enemy hero and when you reach your target, N'aix will come out from you and you can gank your target hero together with him. Aside from that, Open Wounds keeps the enemy from running away and its lifesteal can help you recover your HP quickly.

Every carries' "Dream Come True" Hero. Free stun, teleport, more MS and AS. Oooooohhh!! YOU LOVE HIM A LOT!

I'll start with the items first then I'll explain Barathrum's Worst Enemies.

Pay a serious attention to this item. If the enemy has one then well, you can't use Charge on that enemy unless his or her Linken's Sphere is on cooldown. Charge the enemy when his/her Linken's Sphere is on cooldown or better ask someone from your team to cast a spell first then go for the charge.

This item prevents you from attacking an enemy hero because of its damage return. If you have a BKB or a Satanic, use its active abilities to counter the damage return.

This item prevents you from attacking an enemy hero completely which is similar to Blade Mail. Wait until the duration wears off then punish them for making you wait long enough.

This item prevents you from doing anything for 3.5 seconds because of its hex, which can be a pain in the ass. Get Linken's Sphere or BKB to block it. If not, better ask a tanker your team to get hexed then go for the attack.

This item disables your charge by putting you in a cyclone. Get Linken's Sphere to counter this. If not, better ask someone to enter in a gank/clash first so the Eul's holder with be forced to use cyclone on your comrade then go for the charge.

Rhasta is one of your worst enemies since he has two disables which is very annoying in team fights. Don't even think of trying to charge him because once he sees you charging him or his comrades, he'll voodoo you and he'll do his combo then you're dead. Charge him if you can but make sure he doesn't see you coming. If not, expect a gank and don't get cocky that you can easily kill him. Once you have a BKB or an Orchid, he won't much of a problem to you or you can bring a silencer with you.

Lion is the same as Rhasta. He has two disables which is annoying in team fights as well. Don't charge him too because if you do that, he'll voodoo you then he'll do his combo then you're dead once again. Like what I said, charge him if you can but make sure he doesn't see you coming. If not expect a gank. Just get a BKB or an Orchid on him then you have nothing to fear. If not, bring a silencer.

Atropos is much more worse than Rhasta and Lion because he can keep your damage low, make you sleep or completely disable you for 5 seconds while his team kills you, even if you have a BKB. Don't counter him with BKB, just silence him with Orchid. If not, better ask a silencer from your team and ask him/her to silence him.

He's a great ally, but he can be a challenging opponent for Barathrum. N'aix is one of the people you have to fear because he doesn't care how beefy you are. He's a counter to every strength hero and you're a strength hero yourself so beware of him. Have enough DPS and Armor and you can own him. Do not increase your HP too much because having a lot of HP will only benefit him.

Void is one of your rival perma-bashers. He can easily own any carry when he's farmed enough so do not let him farm at all cost. If not, better be more fat than him and you need to have a lot of HP and armor so you can tank his attacks if your inside his Chronosphere then have enough DPS so you can kill him even if he perma-bashes you without his Chronosphere. Always remember that the more HP you have, the more tanky you are along with your armor. Void is heavily dependent on items than any other carries and he doesn't have any skills that amplifies his DPS (besides from his bash) and attack speed so that is his greatest weakness. So again, do not let him farm.

Troll is a less threat than Void since he has no escape mechanism whatsoever, but he's also one of your rival perma-bashers. He's very hard to kill 1v1 if he takes Whirling Axes(Melee) and the miss chance from that skill gives you a hard time perma-bashing him so he can easily own you (Get MKB to counter that shit). He jungles too much so bring your friends and do not let him farm too because once he farms up, he becomes a respectable threat to your team. Trust me no matter how many HP you rack up, he'll take it down with his light speed attacks.

Omniknight deserves a special mention here because his Guardian Angel prevents you from causing rampart damage to his allies and his aura slows you down. Just get a Diffusal Blade and/or a Necronomicon and you can do shit against him.

Why does Bloodseeker deserve a special mention you ask? Simple. Rupture. While you rely on mobility, he completely ruins it with his ultimate. Avoid.

The fairly high HP along with her Mana Shield means you'll take quite a long time to kill her. Even if you try to perma-bash her to death, her Stone Gaze nearly immobilize you by slowing your AS and MS greatly. And what can a nearly immobilized Barathrum do against her? If she has enough AS and damage, she can rape you while you're affected by her ultimate.

If your facing against a pro-skilled invoker, your definitely going to lose because first, he can disable your charge and burn your precious mana with his Tornado-EMP combo; second, he prevents you from attacking with his Deafening Blast and his Cold Snap; and third, his Ice Wall slows you down to a crawl while he lands his Chaos Meteor on you. Avoid a pro-skilled Invoker at all cost until you have a BKB or possibly an Orchid.

King Leoric is a very challenging hero to face. He has stun, a Lifesteal Aura and a Critical which makes him a deadly fighter indeed. Moreover, this guy can reincarnate, making your effort to kill him meaningless. I strongly recommend a Necronomicon if you're fighting him because Leoric needs mana to activate his Reincarnation. The Mana Burn from your Necronomicon dudes will burn his mana right away he won't be able to activate his Reincarnation when he dies.